Ummera Smoked Products

Anthony Creswell's award winning Ummera Smokehouse situated in peaceful, rural West Cork, by the banks of the Argideen River, is a leading light in food production and environmentally friendly practices.This second generation artisan, who took over the smokehouse his father Keith started in the 70's, has strived to develop the original fish smoking business whilst taking on board the impact that fishing for wild salmon has had on river stocking levels in recent years. To this end, Anthony chose a few years ago to make the changeover to sourcing organic farmed salmon from Clare Island Co. Mayo, as stocks of wild salmon were in decline. This change preceded the wild salmon fishing ban that ensued from 2007.

The fish Anthony smokes are the finest of specimens, organically farmed off the west coast of Ireland. Salmon are treated with tender loving care at the hands of this Master Smoker. In the cure, Anthony uses a mix of organic Portuguese sea salt and Costa Rican pure cane sugar before smoking his fish over wood chippings obtained from sustainable forests. Outside the smokery, a natural wetland and vermi-composting unit deals with waste from production. So this small eco-business produces fabulous artisan produce, thriving in the heart of its natural country surroundings, and doing little damage to the environment around it.

Alongside his superlative smoked salmon, Anthony also cures his own Gravadlax, from a special recipe, which includes salt, sugar, fresh dill and a splash of organic whiskey. This traditional Swedish dish relies on the best quality fish, which have natural fat content. Anthony has re-introduced his father's original smoked chicken, sourcing his birds locally to produce wonderfully succulent and meaty crown breast joints and individual drumsticks that have moorish smokey savouriness. Smoked bacon is also a speciality. In 2010, Ummera also started smoking Silverhill Duck breasts, which won gold the same year at the Great Taste Awards in London. Ummera Smokehouse is one of this country's most famous and prestigious artisan productions, and thanks to the forward thinking, eco friendly attitude of the man at it's helm, the Ummera philosophy surely leads the way for others to follow.

Enda McEvoy is one of the quiet gentlemen of Irish food. Not for him the ranting and raving, or crashing pots and pans around. Enda goes about his business in a calm, considered manner. But don’t be fooled by his cool exterior. The humbleness of his gentle personality belies a chef with a will of iron, who really knows what he wants in his kitchen.